Readers weigh in on college football ‘cupcake games’

1of2Stanford Cardinal wide receiver Osiris St. Brown (9) makes the reception on the long pass against UC Davis Aggies defensive back Isiah Olave (5) during the second half of an NCAA football game between the Stanford Cardinal and UC Davis Aggies at Stanford Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, in Stanford, Calif.Photo: Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle

2of2Stanford Cardinal defensive end Dylan Jackson (97) celebrates a tackle during the second half of an NCAA football game between the Stanford Cardinal and UC Davis Aggies at Stanford Stadium, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, in Stanford, Calif.Photo: Santiago Mejia, The Chronicle

Here we are on Sunday morning. Another weekend of college football blowouts behind us.

Hope you enjoyed Cupcake Saturday, chock-full of so-called “revenue games.” You may know these mismatches as “paycheck” games. Some even call them “body bag games,” insulting thousands who have given their lives for this country.

But that’s what you’ll hear in press boxes and locker rooms around the country these first few weeks of the season. It happens when powerhouse college football teams stomp all over lesser opponents, paying them for the privilege.

And so it was this Saturday in the Bay Area, where Cal steamrolled Idaho State 45-23 while Stanford beat up on UC Davis 30-10. Another year, another dollar, another travesty.

It’s a compelling topic, with plenty of sides to tell. The response from readers was significant. I thought it would be a good idea to give our faithful public a voice in the discussion, so here goes. Let’s go to the mailbag:

The solution to cupcake games is very simple: If the College Football Playoff selection committee does not include cupcake wins toward the national championship, everyone will enjoy seeing the best teams as they have to play tough teams to achieve the best record.

Let Alabama pay and play all the cupcake games they want to embellish their win record, but come bowl selection time, do not include cupcake games as wins in all of the teams’ records. Then we will see who the top teams really are to play in the bowl games for a real national championship.

You can still vote Alabama No. 1 in your polls, but a winning record of top teams with cupcake games not counting will determine who actually plays for a national championship.

I love it when a cupcake team beats one of the big teams.

Brian Murphy, Walnut Creek

Al: Not a bad idea! Now, how do we get that message to the selection committee? Let’s start by tweeting CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock @BHancockCFP.

Hi, Mr. FitzGerald,

Thank you for shedding light on what my husband and I have thought a greedy and deplorable practice for years. Neither of us went to big universities, so we do not watch the games and only pay attention to games of interest locally or to our friends and families.

We understand the $$$$$ factor but, as your article referenced, what a horrible message for 18-year-olds who sacrifice their health and self-esteem for these games.

‘A Mismatch for Money’ series

The Chronicle’s four-part “A Mismatch for Money” series looked at why revenue games are played — and whether the practice should be halted — and the reasons that schools like San Jose State, UC Davis and Sacramento State participate. To read the entire series, go tobit.ly/RevGames

Not a lot of close games

The cupcake game recipe is well known: take a national power, add a willing but clearly overmatched opponent, mix for four quarters and — voila! — a blowout.

So it was Saturday as one top 25 team after another added an all-too-predictable W to its ledger. No. 2 Clemson beat Georgia Southern 38-7, No. 3 Georgia pounded Middle Tennessee 49-7, No. 11 Penn State walloped Kent State 63-10, No. 16 Mississippi State beat Louisiana-Lafayette 56-10, No. 20 Oregon beat San Jose State 35-22, and No. 21 Miami doubled up Toledo 49-24.

But not all underdogs got the message.

Unheralded Sun Belt Conference member Troy stunned Nebraska 24-19, denying Scott Frost his first win as the Cornhuskers’ coach, and earned a $1.15 million guarantee in the process. A year ago, the Trojans (2-1) pocketed just under a million dollars while beating then-No. 25 LSU on the road.

Staff and news services

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We can only assume that the terribly lopsided scores are so that the winning teams gain more points for their rankings. At least there should be a mercy rule — even Little League baseball games have those.

Nancy and Larry Lewis

Al: Now, there’s another good idea. High school football employs a running clock in the final quarter of blowouts. That would be a start to eliminate unneeded contact late in a meaningless contest. You could avoid even more by not scheduling these ridiculous games.

Thanks, Tom.

I understand the points of view held by the schools and the athletes, and because I have already been well aware of the long-standing practice of funding football and basketball student athletes through everything from scholarships, tuition packages, free pro coaching, training, stipends, etc., it’s not a far leap to state colleges’ programs getting funds from more richly endowed schools. I understand the pragmatism, but I do object to the inherent inequality of it. Hopefully some of this money helps finance lesser sports in their programs. Wish this was routinely the case for prospective young writers, teachers, musicians and scientists in their college careers.

Janet Goodman, Mill Valley

Al: Yeah, even if this money went to the drama club, I wouldn’t sacrifice a young man’s well-being. But I like the overall sentiment here.

Dear Tom and Rusty and Al:

I just have read your articles on cupcake games. As I was reading, my brain actually translated “concession revenue” as “concussion revenue.”

This is a really important story — especially with respect to football in the age of CTE awareness. Thank you!

And I say that as one who was present in 2005 when UC Davis managed to upset Stanford in football (and later that year in men’s basketball and baseball, too) and still has the souvenir blue and gold pom-poms from that night in my office at work.

But that was then, this is now, and it is wrong. Very wrong.

Paul Medved, UC Davis ’78

Al: Amen. And, go, Aggies!

Al,

I am surprised at you writing something that a few sports journalists have opined about for many years, having been at The Chronicle for a long time, presumably arriving at some level of wisdom in that time. ... In the late ’60s or early ’70s, while I was coaching basketball at UC Santa Barbara, our football team traveled to play Tennessee in Knoxville. Besides playing a decent game, they returned with no injuries from that game but a nice check to cover a lot of program costs. ... The players at these mid-level ... schools love to play before 80,000 people. What’s wrong with finding a way to raise funds for the women’s volleyball team, the men’s tennis team and all the nonrevenue sports? “Putting such men in physical peril!” What nonsense!

Ralph Barkey, Lincoln

Al: To address a few points. Not sure I’ve arrived at some level of wisdom yet, but I’m hopeful. I’m glad to hear the Gauchos returned from Tennessee unscathed. But, I will agree to disagree on this one. And thanks for not calling me a cupcake.

That’s it for now. If you’re with me on this one, call your favorite athletic director to voice your displeasure over college football “revenue games.” Call your state and federal representatives. The governing bodies of universities should also be held accountable. NCAA officials and CFP committee members should hear about it, too.

Al Saracevic has worked for the San Francisco Chronicle since 2000, when he came over to the paper during the merger with the San Francisco Examiner. He started at the Hearst-owned Examiner in 1994. During his time at both papers, Al has held numerous jobs ranging from copy editor to wire editor to reporter to columnist to deputy section editor. He also served as Business Editor of The Chronicle before becoming sports editor in 2009.

Among the major stories Al has covered: the dot-com boom and bust of the 1990s; the California energy crisis of the early 2000s; the Web 2.0 revolution; the rebuilding of Iraq after the initial occupation of that country; the accounting, banking and real estate crises of the middle-2000s; two U.S. Open golf tournaments; the President’s Cup; the Fiesta Bowl; the Rose Bowl; two World Series; numerous NFL playoff games; and one Super Bowl. Currently, Al remains the sports editor of The Chronicle. He also pens a weekly column called From the Sports Desk. And in his spare time, he is the founding contributor to the paper’s online snow sports blog, Slope Dope.